Napoli and Liverpool play in the Group C of the Champions League, together with PSG and Red Star. It’s needless to say that the race for the knockout stage is gonna be a tough one. Every point matters, which is why you can be sure both sides are going to give their utmost on Wednesday evening at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. But, which team will be the happier side after Viktor Kassai blows the final whistle? Maybe this Napoli vs Liverpool match preview will help you find the right answer!
Napoli
Napoli might not be as powerful as they were last season, but they still do have a pretty good team. They also have a good manager, Carlo Ancelotti, who knows how to lead a team into big matches. And perhaps their biggest advantage in this duel will be the fact that they’re playing in front of their own crowd at the San Paolo stadium.
This is the place where Napoli have won every single game since May when Torino managed to snatch a point. And when it comes to their home performances in the Champions League, only Man City managed to beat them in Naples last season.
Napoli’s this season’s performances have been pretty impressive, especially in the top Italian flight, where they’re currently second, just behind Juve who beat them 3:1 last weekend. In the Champions League, Napoli played against Red Star in Belgrade, a match that finished without any goals.
What this means is that in order to compete for a spot in the knockout stage, it would be great if they managed to avoid losing to the last season’s Champions League finalists. Napoli won’t be lacking any motivation, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s obvious that the player quality is on the side of the visiting team.
Liverpool
They reached the final last season but Liverpool fans are hoping the Reds could go one step further this time. Liverpool have made plenty of improvements since the Champions League final in May, replacing Loris Karius, the man who cost them at least one goal in that match, with one of the best keepers of today, Alisson Baker. They also bought Naby Keita this summer, a truly tireless midfielder, as well as signed Xherdan Shaquiri, who seems to be a very suitable backup for Liverpool forwards, Salah and Mane.
And, of course, their best players from the previous season are still in the team and have been playing excellent lately. In fact, their performances have been so fantastic that Liverpool are currently on the second place in the Premier League, with the same number of points as Manchester City.
They’ve also done very well in the Champions League, beating the mighty PSG 3:2. That game was played at the Anfield, where the Reds have always been great, but what about their away performances?
Well, before playing draw with Chelsea in London last weekend, the Reds won every single game since May. This includes the games with Tottenham and Leicester City, teams that are famously pretty tough to beat at home.
Team News
Napoli absentees
- Faouzi Ghoulam (injury)
- Amin Younes (injury)
- Alex Meret (injury)
- Vlad Chiriches (injury)
Liverpool absentees
- Divock Origi (injury)
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (injury)
- Adam Lallana (doubtful)
Possible Lineups
Napoli
Ospina – Albiol, Koulibaly, Hysaj, Rui – Hamsik, Allan, Callejon, Zielinski – Insigne, Mertens
Liverpool
Alisson – Gomez, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson – Henderson, Milner, Keita – Salah, Mane, Firmino
Napoli vs Liverpool Match Prediction
Liverpool would be favorites against Napoli at any venue apart from San Paolo. Anything can happen in Naples, which is why my betting advice is to bet on goal markets rather than outcome.
Napoli vs Liverpool Betting Tips
- BTS @1.53 (bet365)
- Over 2.5 @1.64 (Unibet)